I'm going to start tonight. I actually already bought some of Dan's gel a few weeks ago, but at the time I was on a regimen of using that Proactiv mask, which I really like. I'm thinking of keeping it up for 1x a week still. Kinda like how Dan throws in glycolic acid (which my skin hates! It does wonders for exfoliating and removing marks, but my skin is just so sensitive to it and I start breaking out); that's how I'll throw in the sulfur.

Anyway. I think I'm going to try and use this 2x a day. I usually wouldn't use it during the day. Mostly b/c I'm almost always rushing out the door and don't have all that time for letting my skin dry and gentle application of the gel...then moisturizer. I'm thinking though that I can break it up in the morning and still do it.

Also, thinking of going back to liquid foundation. I usually wear Loreal powder...(which actually feels a lil wack). But at least with the liquid and some moisturizer, I won't look ashy while on the BP. Because actually that was one of the main reasons I wouldn't use it in the morning; it would make my makeup look funny.

So tonight I'll just do maybe 1/2 a pump. And in the morning I'll go ahead and do 1/2 a pump. And really. I'll probably just make sure I put some on before I leave the house and then just put on my moisturizer and makeup on at work (I already do that w/ the makeup anyway.)

Oh and I had forgot that I had a lil gallery of pics. I'll take some more tonight and keep up with my progress in the log. Here we go.

Had a good start last night. I also took some pics which I'll post later

So last night I washed my face during my bath which I typically do. This helps make sure I get all my makeup off, especially along my jawline. It's just not the same if I wash at the sink. (I can wash over the sink in the mornings though). So in keeping with making sure my skin is dry, I actually waited until much later before applying the BP. Not necessarily on purpose, but I do quite a bit in the evenings and have recently started taking a lil nap/chill-out session in the bed once my son goes to sleep.

So after my nap is when I applied the BP. Then I added moisturizer before bed. And I typically don't use moisturizer at night, but am actually happy this regimen is pushing me to do so. I think moisturizing especially at night helps so much w/ the anti-aging process, which is something I need to start looking at. When applying the moisturizer, I put some around my eyes and mouth area first. Then used the rest along the rest of my face that had the BP. Just to make sure I don't get BP in those sensitive areas.

Then this morning, I washed my face over the sink, so just need about 5min for it to dry. May have ended up waiting 10-15 just b/c I was doing other things, but then later applied. Then when I got to work which is where I typically put on my makeup (I'm usually rushing out of the house to make sure I make my vanpool, so I don't have time to do extra stuff in the mirror). So before my makeup I applied the moisturizer and did the same thing; eyes and mouth first.

So one thing about my makeup, I'm going back to liquid foundation. And I'm mixing it with aloe vera gel...something I used to do back in the day. I'm realizing that the aloe was kind of like a primer for me. And then the liquid kinda helps make sure I don't have random dry patches compared to the powder. And this is especially important since I'm back using BP...and in the morning too. Also, if I use powder as my own foundation, I'm actually using the brush on my skin kinda vigorously b/c of the extra layers I have to put on for coverage.

So I ended up putting the BP on at work this morning. Last night was no big deal; applied the same way and did the same wait times mostly. This morning I was rushing out and didn't wash my face first thing. So I just pumped some BP in a ziplock bag. Then by the time I got to work, washed my hands and put some on my face. I let that dry maybe 30min., then applied my moisturizer. Then after about 15min applied my mix of liquid foundation and banana boat aloe vera gel...basically my take on a tinted moisturizer. Oh and I put on quite a bit of moisturizer actually I used one pump for under my eyes and around my mouth. Then a pump or two for the rest of my face. Oh and I'm using the Purpose Moisturizer where a pump is probably 1/2 a pump of Dan's.

I do so much at work actually. I basically put on my BP at work, then moisturizer, then makeup. And I wash my hands and do all appropriate wait times in between. Today has been going to smoothly. I took some more pics and took them here at work. Think this is where I'll do my updates. So every Tuesday, I'll take a pic. And I like the lighting on these and feel they give a more accurate picture.

I am experiencing the whole initial BP experience w/ the redness, itchiness, irritation, but it's all good. I really do feel pretty optimistic that it's working. And I'm so happy that I've found a realistic/practical way to do it in the morning. In the past, the morning was always out of the question. Oh, also experiencing the dryness, but I'm doing pretty good w/ moisturizing really good.

I'm still at it. I think around the Dec/Jan holidays I skipped a week or 2, but for the most part I've been pretty good. Oh and at one point I couldn't get my morning routine down. But I have to say that I have both the morning and evening pretty solid. The only thing is sometimes I apply it at night too late. I'll work on that.

One thing that has been helping me is applying both the gel and the moisturizer w/ a cotton ball. I know that's not in the regimen, but it helps me not obsessed as much about what is on my hands. I work with my hair alot in the morning and evening and I don't want any random oils on my skin. Same with lotions, etc. Also, this allows me to better monitor whether BP gets around my eyes or mouth. Usually I apply moisturizer to my eye and mouth area right before the BP and then after it has dried, w/ separate cotton ball for each. Then too, I apply my tinted foundation with two different cotton balls, one for the eye mouth area, another for the rest of my face that has BP on it.

So today is 2/4. I've done 12/4 - 1/4 and the 1/4 - 2/4. So that's 2 months down. And I can say that my skin is adjusted to the BP and I'm using the full dose. I can definitely see myself having completely clear skin, marks and all, within a total of 4mths. So that's 2/4 - 3/4 and then 3/4 - 4/4. So April 4th! I guess that's around Easter time? So as a timemark, my skin should be completely clear by Easter.

One big thing that I'm definitely excited about is not having to put on as much powder to cover up dark marks. I'll still wear makeup, just more emphasis on the tinted moisturizer (really just my shade of liquid foundation mixed with aloe vera gel).